Valve-reversing mechanism



2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. L. HERZIG vALvE- REVERSING MECHANISM Filed Auz. 9. 1922 Dec. 13, 1927.

tenen fr CUIttllRATON OIF rlllie present invention relates to a revers ing i'nechauisn'i enel more particularly to an electrically o ierateel valve rev-sing niecha" nisn'i. which is adaptable tor operating a series ot valves. anrl inc v he applied to the operation ot air and. gas valves ot a series oi reegeiierator furnaces `for reversingl the valves at precleternrined tinies and in auf,7 clesired order,

in the operation oi" litive lurnaces it is necessary7 to have positive actuating means tor reversingij the various valves ot the apparatus, in orller reverse the clirection et the admission oi air and gas. The means ordinarily employed i'or this purpose are mechanical devices of complicated Clei sign, which creci-pensive in operation and upkeep7 and yrequire frequent attention to provide proper lubrication and operation ot the various parts thereot. in the application oit such mechanical (ie/vices to the opera tion ot a large number oi furnaces the inultiplicitv ot mechanically operatori parts reu-l (lers the operation complex and the cost ot f1" operation increases in erithnietical proportion to number ol furnaces. liv the applica-- tion the electrically operated valve shifting' device of the presenU invention to the ein. 'ation oi regenerative turnaces the operation ot a lerne ninnher et such tin-naces is not materiali;T 'inore complex 'than the rperation et a sinail nuniher or? such apparatus. and the nuniher oii perte require@ in the operation increases in a decreasing ratio with the number oit furnaces operated..

it is the primary ohject oi" the present inve tion to provide an apparatus for electricall;7 controlling the operation ot valves ani?- oth devices Where `the operation is to he enrriecl en simultaneously or in series. or .in clesirefl sequence.

A second object of the invention is to proa valve reversing; (levice which may be employed tor the simultaneous operation oi a lar're nain 3er ol furnaces, or other apparatus el pending tor its operation on the positive operation et velves or other control d evices at definite time intervals ancl in certain sequences whereby the operation' may be suilliervisecl ancl controlled troni one central nia'teially recluce the nuniloer oi parts reinechanisin 'whereby substantiallj,7 any numoer or' turneces or valves may he operated troni a. central point under the control of a single operator.

l/Vitli these anti other objects in view9 the invention comprises the various features set 'forth in detail in connection with the accompanying drawing, in Which;

Fig. l represents a side elevation et a portion oi the electrical control mechanism, showingx the brushes and contact inenibers through Which electrical connection is made to the `valve operating solenoicls;

2 represents a horizontal sectional view of the apparatus oit Fig. l sl'iovving` the inoter connection by which power is suppliedL to operate the brushes to attain the desired electrical connections;

Fig. 3 is a protile view ot the apparatus oi Fig. l;

liig. Llis a diagrammatic representation ot the'apparatus ot :Figs l, 2 and 3 as applied to the operation ot valve reversing solenoicls showing the connections to an electrical circuit;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan Aview ot a gas operated regenerative furnace, showing the air and gas ducts co'sinecteclL thereto and the a rangement oi velves in tlie ducts;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the apparatus ot Fig. 5 showing` the position ot the opeisting` solenoicls with respect to the valves.

rllie apparatus ci Figs. l, 2 and 3 is einployerl in connection with a bank or series oit furnaces coA structeel similarly, for instance, to that shown in ligs. 5 and 6, Where in air and are supplied through itenets in one or another oirection to a lurnace, the direction ot supply being dependent upon the position set ot the valves in the ducts. lin a regenerative furnace oi? the typeshovv'n in Figs. 5 and. 6 gas is Alfecl through a pipe in which there is a three-way valve lg serving' to connect the pipe 30 with a pipe Sli or a pipe 36. The latter pipes coniinunicate with burner nozzles which direct the point. rif-jas into combustion passages 38 end e0 ot l" 'A A 1 I v in Another ohject e- `the turnace. Air is supplieclL to a pipe l2 cli he cost oi o mechanisms.

. which communicates through tour-Way valve .lfL with pipes '-l-l anel which serve A ifurtlier object ot the invention is toquirecl tor the operation et valve "eversing llv alternately as supply and exhaust pipes. In the operation of the furnace, when 'the direction ol supply of gas is through the pipe 3G, air is led through the pipe t4 and passes through the preheating passage d8, uniting with the gas lied 'through pipe 36 in the passage l0, and generating through the con'ihustion thereof the requisite heat in the heat chamber 50 of the furnace; From the heat chamber 50 the gases of combustion pass through passage 38 into passage which becoines heated to a high temperature by the gases passingl therethrough. The combustion gases alter passing through the passage 52, flow through pipe lo 'to the four-way valve l by rhich they are di rected into a stach' or into the atn'iosphcre, as desired. After a certain interval ot time, dependent upon the temperature to which the air passing through passage eli-S 'is heated, and also upon the temperature to which the walls oity p ssaoe heconie heated by the outgoing gases oit combustion, the direction oi supplv ol' air and gas reversed by reversing the Valves l and lli. Gas is then lied through the pipe leaning to passage 3S and air lied through the air duct LIto and hecoines preheated in the passage o23 through the heat stored in the walls ot the passage troni the previous heating by nieans of outgoingl coiiibustion gases. Cinnbustioii ol gas then takes place in the passage 3S, and gases ot cfnnhustion heated to a high tel'nperature if iss through the chamber 50, where the desired heating takes place, and pass troni thence to exhaust through passages 4G, 178 and duct all, through valve la to the stack or atn'iosphere. lt is the purpose ot the present inrention to operate a nuniber of the furnaces siniilar to furnace described above controlling` vthe operation ol the valres siinilar to l1 and l by automatic nieans which may be controlled it'roin a central point. For this purpose the Valves l and l are connected by a sha'it ls in order to inalie the operation ot the Valves interdependent, and valve l is connected to a sha'lit 1S. A puller l!) is lined on the shalt les and a chain 1C w 'h passes over thepulley is connected at its opposite ends to cores ot Vtwo solenoids l and l1". rThe solenoi ds l and ll" both act to draw the core or armature d wnwardly so that one rotates the ralres in the opposite direction lil-ori the other to intcrinittently reverse the directiijni olE flow ol`Y gas and air.

The operating coils oil"v the solenoids 'lR lF are cornl id to electrical niains M and N, Fig. el, through switches which are operated niechanicall.)7 to nialfe and hreal; connections peritalicall;7 hetween the inain line and the coils. The switching and operating' mechanism therefor are shown diagrammatically in Fig. le and the details ot construction are shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3. The switching mechanism shown in the drawings is adapted for operating the solenoids ol a battery ot furnaces and coinprises a series of contacting plates or segments lf, 2f, 3f, lf, etc.7 and l", 2*', 3", etc., which are inade ont copper or other suitable conducting material and are mounted on a panel in the lorni ol an ani'iular ring wherein the segments radiate outi'vardly `'trein the center, a central distributing .ring Bel concentricall5Y niounted in the annular seginciital ring, and a brush 56 ro tataoly inounted over the segments lor mali-- ing contact between the segments and the distributing ring 5l. The subscripts et the segments indie-:tite those sce-i'iients which are connec ed in electrical circuit with the solenoid coils F, and the subscripts l" indicate thc segments which are connected in electrical circuit with the solenoids lt. The segincnts lf, 1?", etc. and l", 2*', etc. are connected respecti.'eljyY to terminals lc, ZL, etc., and iT,

2T, etc., by ineens ot conductors l, 2W, etc., ind l, i2, etc. The hrush 5o is mounted in a holder 58 and u, yieldably held in contact with the dist ribuling rings and segments by a spring titl. rrhe holder D8 is secured to a sha'tt (32, 'which is rotatably niounted in a il'raiue oel. irelferably the hrush is given a step by step niorenient to advance it internuttentij1 the distance oil one segment whereby contact hetween cach successive segmentand the distributing ring may be inade. 'lhe distrihuting ring is connected Vihroujcj'h a conductor (56, el, with the line M oil? the niain line and the segniienls are in the circuit which connects with the line N ot the inain line. intermittent nioreincnt ot the brush obtained by ineans ot a niotor (38 which is connected b y gears '(0 and 72, with a shaft 'M1 rotatably mounted in the liraine (il, Upon the shaft "iet is lined a tripping arni 7G, which is arranged to intern'rittently engage a ratchet wheel To lined upon the shaft i 1il'th each coniplcl'e rotation ot the on. tripping arin To it engages teeth in the pcripheral edge o'lj Vthc ratchet wheel TS and adrances the ratchet wheel lthroujcgl'i a distance equal to the pitch cil' the teeth. 'o hol-:cl the ratchet wheel Tt) in lined position while the triiiping arn'i completes its rotation, a sp"ii g' locking pani. 8O is lined in the lraine Gelar-d arranged to engage the ratchet wheel at point opposite the engagement of the tripping wheel.

One terniinal oit each el the Vvalve operating solenoid coils is connected with a coinnico grounill or return wire and the other terminal el the solenoid coils arraiuged to he connected through switches l5, 2- l', 3", etc., by coiuluctors lm, 2W, 3m, etc., with the terminals lt, 2t, etc., and 1T, 2"', etc. By means ci5 i switches lgw. 2W, etc., an;Y pair olI Valve op iting solenoids may he placed into or out of operation. The couuuon return wire hl is connected in series with a cut- Sli lli)

lill) lll) out `and current reducing mechanism by which a circuitl is made with the line ll of the main line to complete the circuit for operating the soleneids.

The cutout and currentreducing mechanisin is shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and el. This` mechanism comprises an insulated ring 82 made up ot a series ot' insulated segments mounted on a panel Sei, a distributing ring 86 mounted. within and insulated 'from the segmental ring 82, and a brush 88 mounted to rotate over the distributing ring and segmental ring to make contact between the distributingring and the segments of the ring 82. The brush 88 is mounted in the holder 90 and is arranged to be yieldably held in contact with the segments 82 and ring 86 by means et' a spring 92 mounted in the helder. The holder 90 is lined upon the forward end of the shaft Zet and is continuously rotated by the motor 68. The segmental ring is preferably made up of seven segments 9G, 9S, 100, 10Q, 10e, G, and 108, as shown in the drawings. The segment 96 is made of a noirconducting or insulating material such as asbestos, and is theretore completely insulated vtrom the remaining segments. lhen the brush 88 passes over the segment 9G, tie electrical current in the circuit will be interrupted, and this segment is arranged to pass under the brush during the time when the tripping` arm 76 is in engagement with the ratchet wheel 78 to move the brush 56 from one et the switchingsegments 1f, 2f, etc., or 1f, 2, etc., so that there will be no arcing as the brush inoyes from one segment to the next. rlfhe segments 98 to 108 inclusive are preferably made ot a conducting'material such as copper and each of these segments except. segments 96 and 98 is in series with one or more ot' a series o't resistances 110, 112, 111i, 116, and 118. As the brush S8 is 'rotated in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow in Figs. 1 and 4t, the 'full current strength will pass through solenoid while the brush is on segment r98 and then the series of resistances 110 to 118 are interposed one by one so as to reduce the current passing to the solenoid in circuit with the main line while the brush is passing over segments 1O0-708 inclusive. Vith the construction the full current will be passed through a solenoid for a suiiicient period oli time to reverse the position of the air and gas valves, then the current strength will be gradually reduced until it is entirely cut eti.

The motor 68 may he operated at any desired speed, or mayy he geared to the shaft 7e by gears which will give any desired speed oit rotation of the cutout switch mechanism, and of the brush et the solenoid switching mechanism. In this way the various valve operating' soleneids may he arranged to be operated at anynesired time interval, to effect the reversing et the air and gas Valves. Although the solenoid operating switch is shown as having segments arranged to operate all et the ierwardly operating valves in succession and then operate the rearwardly operating valves in succession, "t is obvious that the terminals il, Qt, and 1T, JV may be connected by suitale conductors to obtain any desired sequence et operation et the soienoil,...

rlhe operation ot the device is as 'iollewsz The motor 08, which .red to the shaft Til through gears 70 and 'T2 rotates the shaft Tel au a speed et approximately i0 it. il. M. The tripping arm Z6 attached te the shatt lll cooperates with a gear T8 on shuiY 02, the gear being preterably so constructed as to move one forty-first ot' a turn with each revolution et' the tripping arni. yldhe spring 8O serves te maintain the gear in position after each turn by the tripping arm At the time the brush 8S is passing in a clockwise direction ern' the insulating section of the switch or cuteout and current reducing mechanism, thus interrupting the current through the appr "attrs, the tripping arm 76 moves inte Contact with the gear 78 on the shaft 62, 'te which the brush is attached. rlflie brush 5G is thus moved in a counterclochwise direction trom one segment to the nest, as, for instance, 'from the segment 201" to the segment 11. During the rotation of the gear i8 the spring 80 1s presset against the teeth et the gear lo and thus prevents movement et the gear atteithe tripping arm has moved out et contact therewith. fitter the brush has niet1 1d into place on the segment lf the brush S8 moves over the conducting section 9S of the cutout mechanism. current then passes through the closed circuit from the wire lvl of main line lvlll through tne wire to the conducting ring 54e, through the brush 56, segment 1f, through a wire llt" connected therewith, to the terminal 1t, then through a wire 1m, through switch 1*, which is closed during the operation el the apparatus, through wire mi connected to the coil oi? the solenoid 1I", and through the solenoid coil, through the return wire n2 to the commen connecting wire n, and from thence through wire n to the plus terminal 120, and from thence through the lead wire 1Q2 to the conducting` section 98, from thence through the brush 88 to the inner ringI 86, and from thence through the wire 91 to the terminal 93, and from thence through the valves Il and lg ot the furnace l. After the hrush 88 has rotated further so as to pass out oi contact with the section 9S and into contact. with the section '100, the current tlo'ws from the terminal 120 through the resistance ll() through the wire lQ-lto the section and through the brush 88 to the main BIN by the path outlined above. 'the interposC ig oit the resistance llt) serves to cut down the current tlowing through the coil of the solenoid lF and as the other resistances are interposeo 'the current is correspond. "ty reduced through the lenoid coil which is in circuit. Atteithe brush hrs tinally rotated `to the position where it is co-acting with. the section i055 olthe cut-out anism, the current pti-"see .horn the teit. 'f

through resistances llt), l'll, list, llt and 11S, and lfrom Vthence through the wire 132 to the conducting section 108 ot the switch andv through brush in MN in the manner ahove inf reared. the brush 8S again passe.;` over the libre or non-conducting segment 9o oi the cutmechanism the tripping arm "iti moves z* into contact ith the gear it and thii tates the brush 56 in a coumerclocliw rection itrom the segment l1v to the 2f, and the valves ot the next Yiirnace :3,

in the series are operated. ln this manner the various solenoids and valves connected therewith are operated in any desired sequence, depending` upon the arrangement ot the various electri Aal connections. lt is apparent therefore that any number ol turnaces in any desired seqiiience may be operated by the means above disclosed.

rthe preferred Aform of the invention has been set forth in detail, but it is to be understood that various modilications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope ot' the in vcntion.

Having thus deserihed the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. An electrical valve operating mechanism comprising a valve shaft, separate solenoids operatively connected to the said shaft to cause rotation thercoii in clock-wise and counter clock-wise directions respectively, a switch for controlling the excitation ot said solenoids, means operatively connecting said sivitch with each oit said solenoids, operating means for the said switch, means connecting the said switch "to the said operating` nie-ans to cause operation ot each ot said solenoids at in'edetermined time intervals, and means associated with said switch whereby7 the eX- citation ot each ot said solenoids is decreased gradually to zero.

2. in electrical valve operating mechanism comprising a series ot valve shafts, a pair of forward and reversely operating solenoids connected to each of said shafts.l a switch for controlling the excitation of said solenoids, means connected to said switch to ca use operation of said solenoids at predeter- 1n ined time intervals, and means whereby the Jimitation ot said solenoids is gradually cut ott.

An electrical valve operatnig mechanisni comprising a series oit air and gas valve operating shafts, a pair oi reversely operating electromotive means operatively conn nected to each oit the said shafts, a switch tor controlling the excitation ol" each of said clectromotive means, means tor periodically exciting each ot said electromotive means through the said switch to cause rotation of the said valve shafts tirst in one direction and then in the other, and means associated with said switch whereby the excitation of each of said electromotive means is decreased graduaily to Zero,

i. An electrical va'lve operating. mechanism comprising a series of valve operating shafts, a pair oit reversely operating eleotrcmotive means operatively connected to each ot 'the said shafts to cause rotation thereolj in clock-wise and counter-clockwise tions respectively, a switch, segments e saioL switch each in circuit with one oi" the electromotive means, means for periodic-oily exciting said clectromotive means through said switch so as to rotate exch one ot' said valve shafts at predetermined tnne intervals tirst in one direction and then in the other, and means ass ciated with said switch whereby the excitation oi cachot said electromotive means is decreased gradua'lly.

5. An electrical valve operatingr mechanism con'iprisingr a series of valves, shafts connected with said valves, solenoids connected with said shafts in operative relation therewith, a rotary switch having segments therein in circuit with the said solenoids, a source ot electric power, a brush on the said switch, means tor rotating the said brush to periodically connect each ot the said solenoids with the source of electric power, means ttor disconnecting the said source of electric power during the rotation ot' the said brush from one segment to the segment nent adjacent, and means for gradually reducing the excitation of the said solenoids subsequent to the operation thereof.

6. An electrical valve operating mechanism comprising a switch, a series ot' segments in the said switch, insulating` sections separating the said segments, a conducting ring insulated Atrom the said segments and connected in circuit with a main line, a brush adapted to rotate in a plane to make contact between the said ring and the said segments, means to rotate the Said brush at definite time intervals from one segment to the next, and means connected in circuit with the said rotating Vmeans and the main line to break the current through the circuit during the passage ot' the said brush from one segment to the next, and to thereu after complete the circuit and to gradually insert resistance in the line nntifl the current is again broken.

7. An electrical valve operating mecha nism comprisinga switch, a series of insulating segments in the said switch arranged in an annular path, a conducting ring, a brush adapted to maintain sliding contact between the said ring and the said segments, means to rotate the said brush at predetermined time intervals trom one segment to the nent adjacent, a second switch in series with the first mentioned switch, a series ot insulated sections arranged in a,y circular path in the said switch, one oi the said sections loe/ing,`

ot insulating material, a conducting ringf constituting one pole of the said second switch, a` second brush adapted to connect the said ring with one of the said sections, and ineens for rotating` the said lsecond brush in cooperative relation to the rotation of the first mentioned brush, so that the said second brush will Contact with the said section of the insulating material during the rotation of the lii'st mentioned brush from one segment to the next adjacent, thereafter causing the said brush to contact with a conducting section so as to permit passage of current through the said switches.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

HAROLD L. HERZIG. 

